Solid-state transformers advance, energy storage financing surges, and grid policy evolves.
Solid-State Transformers Gain Momentum Globally
Multiple academic and industry efforts highlight global progress in solid-state transformer technology.
Research centers like Virginia Tech CPES and ETH Zurich are key academic anchors, while EPRI demonstrates utility-scale projects. Companies like Vacuumschmelze and Hitachi Metals provide critical core components for these advanced transformers.
- PSCAD, RTDS, and MATLAB Simulink: The Simulation Tools Behind Every Commercial Solid-State Transformer Product
- Virginia Tech CPES Is the Second-Most-Important US Academic Solid-State Transformer Research Center After NCSU FREEDM
- ETH Zurich Power Electronic Systems Lab and Professor Johann Kolar Are the European Anchor of Solid-State Transformer Academic Research
Grid Policy and Market Reforms Shape Future Operations
Key policy decisions and market go-lives are setting the stage for grid modernization and reliability.
FERC extended the PJM capacity price collar, and MISO's capacity auction cleared lower. CAISO's EDAM market is set to go live, indicating evolving regional market structures and capacity planning.
- EPRI and Six Major US Utilities Are Demonstrating an All-Solid-State 25 kVA Pole-Mount Transformer From Solid State Power
- FERC Extends PJM Capacity Price Collar Through 2029/2030 Delivery Year
- PJM Interconnection: 811 projects
Energy Storage Sector Sees Major Financing and Capacity Deals
Significant new financing and large-scale deals signal continued investment in energy storage solutions.
ESS Tech secured an 8.5 GWh sodium-ion deal, while the sector attracted $1.35 billion in new financing. Despite some financial challenges for companies like ESS Inc., the overall trend points to substantial growth.
- Air Force Research Lab Awards Concurrent Technologies $18 Million
- ESS Tech Signs 8.5 GWh Sodium-Ion Deal
- ESS Inc. \$63.4M Loss, EOS Energy Misses Q4 Earnings
Data Centers Embrace Onsite Generation Amid Grid Challenges
Data center operators are increasingly looking to onsite generation to ensure reliability and manage grid integration.
Oracle is shifting its Project Jupiter data center to onsite generation. Projections indicate 27% of U.S. facilities will use onsite generation by 2030, highlighting a trend driven by grid integration challenges.
EV Charging Infrastructure Scales Up with Megawatt Power
The evolution of EV charging infrastructure is marked by the emergence of megawatt-scale charging capabilities.
Megawatt-scale charging infrastructure is becoming a key development for 2026. Bidirectional power capabilities are also advancing, reaching up to 750 kW, indicating a significant upgrade in EV charging technology.
Oracle is building its Project Jupiter data center in New Mexico, while ON.energy tested a medium-voltage AI UPS. Meanwhile, a new report projects 27% of U.S. data centers will shift to onsite generation by 2030, highlighting mounting grid integration challenges.
State of Data Center Power: 27% of U.S. Facilities Shift to Onsite Generation by 2030 as Grid Integration Challenges MountESS Tech signed an 8.5 GWh sodium-ion deal, and Concurrent Technologies secured an $18 million Air Force contract. ESS Inc. reported a $63.4M loss and EOS Energy missed Q4 earnings. PJM interconnection has 811 projects pending, and the EIA reports 80 GW of solar, wind, and storage were added to the US grid in 2026. A new state of the market report shows $1.35 billion in new financing and over 20 GWh in motion.
State of Battery & Energy Storage: $1.35 Billion in New Financing and 20+ GWh in MotionOrlando hosted a conference on decentralized energy, discussing the sector's growth. A new market report indicates federal contracts are driving a significant infrastructure push through mid-2026 for microgrids and onsite generation.
State of Microgrids & Onsite Generation: Federal Contracts Drive B+ Infrastructure Push Through Mid-2026Megawatt-scale charging infrastructure is arriving, with bidirectional power now reaching 750 kW, marking a new threshold for EV charging deployment.
State of EV Charging: Megawatt-Scale Infrastructure Arrives as Bidirectional Power Reaches 750 kWGrid operators face an October compliance deadline as AI and EV loads push harmonic limits, signaling increased strain on power quality standards.
State of Power Quality & Standards: Grid Operators Face October Compliance Deadline as AI and EV Loads Push Harmonic LimitsNERC's IBR registration deadline is May 15, while FERC extended the PJM capacity price collar through 2029/2030. CAISO's EDAM goes live in May with PacifiCorp as the first counterparty. MISO's 2026/27 capacity auction cleared 42% lower at $126/MW-Day. A new market report shows 58 GW added, with markets clearing lower and demand response rules stabilizing.
State of Grid Policy & Markets: 58 GW Added as Markets Clear Lower and Demand Response Rules StabilizeSolid-state transformers remain in single-digit deployments, despite megawatt charging emerging as a 2026 infrastructure threshold. Research centers like Virginia Tech CPES and ETH Zurich are key academic anchors, while China State Grid has operated demonstration projects for six years. EPRI and utilities are demonstrating a 25 kVA pole-mount transformer, and Vacuumschmelze and Hitachi Metals supply the critical nanocrystalline cores.
State of Power Electronics: Megawatt Charging Emerges as 2026 Infrastructure Threshold While Solid-State Transformers Remain Single-Digit Deployments